Protection
by HellFire2488
Summary: Shikamaru's on edge because of a recent mission assignment. Why? And what does it have to do with Ino? ShikaIno
1. Chapter 1

Title: Protection

Pairing: ShikaIno

Summary: Shikamaru's on edge because of a recent mission assignment. Why? And what does it have to do with Ino? ShikaIno

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

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"No." His voice was solid, and displayed his conviction so strongly that Tsunade unconsciously moved back.

"What did you say?" Her voice was strong and stern, which was a clear sign of her incredulity. "Do you realize who you are talking to?"

Shikamaru bowed his head in respect before raising it again. Even he had to admit that he couldn't blame her for her disbelief. Out of his entire career of being a leaf shinobi, he had never once turned down a mission. Even with being the laziest ninja they had, he would soon enough go on a mission before arguing out of it. Confrontation was troublesome, and if there was one thing everyone knew about Shikamaru Nara, it was that he would do whatever it took to avoid being associated with that pesky word.

But this was different, because it wasn't just his mission. There was one other person- a person who played an integral part in the mission- that he was not willing to involve.

"I'm sorry, Lady Tsunade, but I cannot accept this mission. Not under these terms."

"And what terms would those be? The overall mission itself, or the team I've chosen to complete it?" She asked, raising an eyebrow. She already knew the answer; it was plain to see all over his normally stoic face. However, it couldn't be helped. This mission required her skills, and more so her beauty. There was no one better for the job.

"I thought I was doing you a favor by making you squad leader for this assignment." She continued, placing her hands underneath her chin. "I thought for sure you wouldn't trust anyone else with her protection."

Frowning slightly, Shikamaru steeled himself.

"Lady Hokage, I have no control over any of the shinobi in this village. They, as well as I are under your strict orders to complete any assignment you give us for the good and the safety of this village and its people."

He paused, gauging her reaction to his words. He wanted to make his intentions clear to her before he said anything else. She waved a hand for him to continue.

"That being said, this mission that you have assigned me to has absolutely no bearing on our village. As you have described it, it is a simple escort mission that will turn into a reconnaissance. Afterwards, we will report our information to the ANBU Black Ops, who will eventually take over. Am I correct?"

She nodded, confirming that all of the information he recited back to her was indeed the truth.

"I understand why I was assigned for this. Though simple in nature, the reconnaissance portion does in fact require a strategy, and more than likely may turn into something complicated depending on what we find out. I am more than prepared to do that. However…"

He took a deep breath, turning his eyes away from his superior for a few seconds before looking back.

"…I believe I can assemble a more efficient team."

Her eyes narrowed, and her voice became tight. "I'd like you to explain to me how any other ninja in this village could possibly be more efficient in what I need than the one I assigned to you."

He remained silent, knowing he didn't have a good enough answer. She was right. He didn't know of any better ninja because there _was_ no better ninja. The client they were assigned to escort was an older male who was known in his tiny village to be considered a pervert of sorts. The man, Hiroto, dealt with men just fine, but preferred the presence of females, especially blondes. Considering that the second part of the mission was to do recon on some of Hiroto's activities, having a kunoichi there, especially one specializing in mind jutsus, was the most powerful weapon in their arsenal.

The problem was that it was almost too perfect. The one thing Shikamaru was always cautious about when planning strategies was not so much how high the success rate was, but more so what was at stake if things did not go accordingly. Best case scenario, everything worked out perfectly and they finished the mission in as little as 48 hours. The worst case scenario, however, was something that even he was not willing to risk. Not with his fiancé.

Just as he was about to offer some explanation to the Hokage, a knock was heard and he turned to see Ino walk into the room. She looked nervous as she glanced at him and then to Lady Tsunade. He couldn't blame her, honestly. She'd just interrupted a rather tense conversation, and the silence that followed her arrival was not at all welcoming. Regardless, Tsunade waved her in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Lady Tsunade. Shizune told me to come right in." Ino apologized with a bow. As soon as she walked through the door, she sensed something was different. Not knowing whether the irascible atmosphere was because of their discussion or her unannounced entrance, she stayed near the door.

"No need to apologize, Ino. Do me a favor and lock the door behind you, will you?" She asked, continually staring at the lazy ninja in front of her.

"Of course." Ino replied, and while she turned around to complete the task, Shikamaru's eyes followed her movements.

After locking the door, she walked over to stand beside him. Tsunade looked at her briefly before returning her attention back to him. "I'm still waiting for you to answer my question, Shikamaru. Who would you replace Ino with for this mission?"

Shikamaru stared heatedly at Tsunade as he racked his brain for an answer. Tsunade just took in his stare, but allowed a small smirk to grace her lips. She knew asking him that question in front of Ino was a dirty move, but it was the only way she could get an accurate answer and observe them at the same time.

It had been a while since Team 10 worked together, what with the death of Asuma the year before and Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji having their own responsibilities as chunnin. Still, their chemistry was as effective as ever when they were asked to complete missions together. Even when Shikamaru and Ino began dating- and after their recent engagement- she saw nothing but excellent results from them. She didn't think this mission should have been any different, but apparently Shikamaru did, and she needed to find out why.

Ino moved a few inches closer to Shikamaru and saw that his shoulders became a little tenser. Not expecting that reaction, she made no more attempts to move near to him, and instead remained still. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she knew that it had more to do with her than the question implied.

She looked from the Hokage to Shikamaru next to her, silently studying them as they continued staring at one another. For a while, she didn't think they even remembered she was in the room. Tsunade wore a frown as she continued to stare at Shikamaru, and it was to the point where Ino felt uncomfortable watching them anymore. If anything, she felt herself growing perturbed at the way the older woman seemed to be scrutinizing him. After a few more seconds, she could no longer stay silent.

"Lady Tsunade," Ino finally spoke, watching as they seemed to snap out of their staring contest. "Am I no longer needed for this mission?"

The older blonde gave a frustrated chuckle. "That depends. If left up to me, then yes, you are still needed. However, Shikamaru seems to disagree. I'm just waiting for his reason as to why."

"Shikamaru?" Ino turned to look at him, but he kept his head straight, continuing to look at the Hokage.

The room was silent again as he continued to think over every possible alternative to completing the mission without involving the blonde kunoichi. However, even he knew that the attempt was completely futile. It looked like he had no choice but to tell the truth.

"I don't know." He finally spoke, and Tsunade couldn't help the smirk that graced her lips once again.

"So, you recognize that having Ino as part of your team would produce the best possible outcome with the highest success rate for this mission?"

"I admit that her specialized jutsus would be of greater assistance to the mission than that of any other kunoichi." He paused and took a breath. It was a long shot, but he had to at least try. "However, I can name quite a few other shinobi whose skills would also produce the desired results as well."

"And considering that they have their own missions to complete, can you offer any other alternative?"

He sighed. "No."

"Then give me the real reason why you don't want her assigned to this mission."

Ino looked at Shikamaru and saw a look akin to pain on his face before he quickly replaced it with his usual bored expression. That alone caused her to frown, and she had to physically stop herself from giving the Hokage a less than respectful look. Shikamaru had been acting unusual the entire day, but even more so when it came to her. His normal nonchalant behavior and sarcastic words were replaced with mannerisms that she was not at all comfortable with. Seeing now how he and Tsunade were acting, it wasn't hard for her brain to work out that the older woman was indeed the cause for his change in demeanor.

"Lady Tsunade?" Ino stepped forward determinately, gaining the attention of the other two occupants again. Shikamaru opened his mouth to silence her, but she merely raised her hand to him and continued looking straight. "I'm not quite sure what's going on here, but if Shikamaru doesn't think I'm properly suited to fulfill the requirements this mission entails—"

Lady Tsunade let out an amused laugh.

"Don't be fooled. He knows you are perfectly qualified. If that weren't the case, I wouldn't have assigned you to it in the first place. Shikamaru has a reason why he does not want you on this mission, and unless he tells me why, you two are still set to leave by this afternoon."

Giving Shikamaru one last look, Tsunade lowered her head to study the papers in front of her. Gathering a few, she gestured for Ino to take them. Walking up and picking up the folder, Ino was stunned as the documents were immediately taken from her hand.

"Shikamaru, what is going on? What is the matter with you?" Ino yelled, no longer able to hold back her frustration. He was acting strangely, and had refused to talk to her or even look her in the eye since she walked into the room. It was so unlike him, and it was putting her in even more of a foul mood.

"You want the real answer? Fine." Walking up to her desk, he gently placed the order papers back in the pile they had originally come from. "I don't want her on this mission because I don't want her hurt, and based on Hiroto's reputation, there is a high chance that he _will_ hurt her."

Tsunade nodded, satisfied with the answer he gave her.

"Fine. Fair enough. The both of you are dismissed. I am going to contact Hiroto and postpone the mission until tonight to give you both time to talk this over." She stood then, walking over to the two ninja. "Shikamaru, regardless of Ino's involvement in this mission, you are still assigned to it, and it will be up to you to find a suitable replacement and have the strategy you will be implementing on my desk before you head out if she chooses to withdraw. Is that clear?"

"Yes. Thank you, Lady Tsunade." Turning on his heel, he moved briskly toward the door, not even sparing Ino a glance.

Turning to give Tsunade one last look, she too exited the room, fully intent on finding her lazy fiancé and demanding him to tell her just what was going on.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Protection

Pairing: ShikaIno

Summary: Shikamaru's on edge because of a recent mission assignment. Why? And what does it have to do with Ino? ShikaIno

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Author's Note: Rated T for the perverted implications and the one swear word.

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**Chapter 2**

Ino left the building in time to see Shikamaru heading in the direction of their apartment and hurried after him, intent on finishing the conversation he'd refused to acknowledge while they were in the Hokage's office.

She grabbed his arm when she finally caught up with him, forcing him to stop walking. Despite their physical contact, he did little to acknowledge her, which did nothing but further irritate her.

"Shikamaru, listen to me!" She yelled at him, tightening her grip.

"I hear you, Ino." He replied crossly, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. "What is it?"

"What is up with you today?" She asked, exasperated that this was quite possibly the tenth time she'd asked him that question since morning.

He briefly turned to look at her for the first time since the meeting before averting his eyes to the cloudy sky.

"Look Ino, can we not discuss this now? I've got a new mission strategy to design by tonight, and it's going to take some time."

"You mean the new strategy that is going to replace me on the mission tonight?" She glared at him. "No, Shikamaru. We are going to talk about this. I have a right to know what is going on."

"Do you trust me?" His eyes pierced into hers intensely, and her grip on his forearm tightened even more as she turned away from him, her mind interpreting the hidden meaning in his question.

He was asking if she believed that he would keep her safe.

"My trust in you is not the issue, Shikamaru." She replied, looking at him once again. "You know the answer to that."

He nodded, content that she understood his words.

"Then trust that I have my reasons for this."

He turned around, letting her hand fall from his arm and continued in the direction of home, leaving Ino without another word. He was forced to stop again, however, when she walked a couple of steps ahead and stood in front of him, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"You aren't listening to me! I'm sure you have your reasons for this, but I'm the one who needs to know them!" She stomped her foot loudly, forcing him to give her his full attention.

"And I asked you not to discuss this right now." His face portrayed boredom and slight frustration as he tried to side step around her, but she just matched the movement, preventing him from passing. An unintelligible noise escaped his lips as he looked at her, attempting to mentally prepare himself for the inevitable yelling she would undoubtedly start.

"And I'm _telling_ you that we are going to talk about this. Now." She glared and moved her hands to rest on her hips, her temper getting the better of her as they faced one another in the middle of the sidewalk.

With a resigned look, he slowly bridged the gap between them. Resting his hands above hers on her hips, he gently moved her to the side, their shoulders touching as he leaned close to her ear. "Fine, we'll talk. But I'm not doing it here. It can wait until we get home, and not a second sooner."

Ino took a deep breath in an attempt to keep her temper in check. He once again found a way to avoid talking to her, just like he managed to that entire day. He let go of her when he felt her exhale the breath she'd been holding, his hands brushing against the bare skin of her stomach as he did so before continuing in the direction of home.

She followed silently behind him, still fuming over the small argument. If this had been a different situation, she would be screaming at him the rest of the way home. But, because of everything that had already happened that day, she spent the remaining few minutes lost in thought about why Shikamaru was acting so strangely. By the time they made it home, Ino was ready to burst from waiting. When they made it through the front door, she could no longer hold it in.

"Ok, we're here." She closed the door behind them, gesturing around the room for emphasis. "No more excuses. What is going on? And don't you dare tell me that it's nothing or that it doesn't concern me because clearly it does!"

Shikamaru's back was to her, and he let out a long breath before walking over and sitting on the couch. Her eyes followed his every move, and she felt her patience waning at his lack of haste in answering her. He eventually turned to face her, looking tired as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Look," He finally began. "I know I haven't been acting normal today—"

"Brilliant deduction."

"It would be easier to talk without your commentary." He frowned at her.

She gave him a defiant stare, but stayed quiet. Her curiosity far outweighed her anger toward him. He stared at her a little longer before continuing.

"I know I haven't been myself today, and I'm sorry. I've had a lot on my mind."

"Like what?" She asked, concern creeping into her voice. "Does it have to do with the mission?"

"Partially, yes." He stood slowly and went over to the bookcase next to the couch and grabbed a folder from one of the shelves. She guessed from the green emblem on the front that it was the mission brief. He brought it back over to the couch and signaled for her to join him. When she sat down beside him, he opened the folder and sat it between them.

"So, since I never got to actually _read_ it," She glared pointedly at him. "Would you mind telling me what the mission is even for? What's our objective?"

"To escort a criminal back to his village, gather intelligence on any illegal activity we see, and report it to ANBU."

Her head snapped in his direction, a look of disbelief on her face. "And you think I'm not qualified for this?!"

"Calm down, Ino. That's not what I said." He told her while flipping through the papers in the folder. Inside was the mission information, as well as a profile of Hiroto. Ino turned her attention back to the page and focused on the man's picture, grimacing at how unkempt he looked.

"Eww, who is this guy anyway?"

"He is the one who will be escorted."

She picked up the page with Hiroto's information from the pile and glanced over it briefly. "I'm still not getting what's had you so on-edge about this mission. What does he do that's so different from any other criminal?"

He was silent, and she glanced up from the paper to him. He had that look on his face again; the same one she'd seen in Lady Tsunade's office. Her brow furrowed as she studied him. His shoulders had gone tense after she'd asked her question, and she noticed him clench and unclench his fists multiple times.

"Well?" She asked as she sat a little straighter. The longer he took, the more anxious she became. Shikamaru was nervous, and that worried her.

He seemed to snap out of his thoughts when she'd spoken, and he unclenched his fists one last time before breathing a heavy sigh.

"It's just not a good idea for you to be on this mission. Can't you just trust me on this?"

"No!" She stood abruptly and slapped the papers down on the table in front of him. She stormed to the edge of the room before pivoting back in an angry pace. This had been the third time now that he blatantly avoided answering her, and she was becoming more and more aggravated.

He watched as she slowed her pacing and stopped right in front of him, the table the only obstacle between them, which was lucky for him with the way she was glaring.

He met her glare head-on, for once not backing down from her. He knew it was wrong for him to keep information from her, especially if it had to do with a mission. Regardless of what was on his mind, this was work, and despite the nature of it, he was well aware that he had no business treating it personally.

But, it was personal.

_She_ was personal to him.

He looked down at her left hand where the ring he'd given her sparkled brightly on her finger, the glare from the afternoon sun highlighting its features. He'd only given it to her a short time ago, but ever since then, he couldn't remember a time when she wasn't wearing it. The stone was a diamond, of course. He knew Ino would expect nothing less. The ring was an heirloom of the Nara clan, and he knew without a doubt that he would present it to her when he proposed. Surrounding the diamond were small emeralds, and the band was a beautiful white gold with intricate patterns all around. Everything about the ring was unique, and there was no better way to describe his Ino.

The thought of anyone tarnishing her made his blood pressure rise and an all-consuming anger well inside of him. Hiroto was known to do such tarnishing things to women, either consensually or otherwise. If anything were to happen to her on this mission, Shikamaru knew, without a doubt, that he would lose it.

But, he had to tell her the truth. This was still work, and if he explained it properly, there was a chance that she would decline the mission and allow him to prepare a new strategy for it. All he could do was hope she understood.

He stood up, his gaze never leaving hers. She was not going to sit back down without some compromise.

He closed his eyes and took a slow breath before raising his hands in front of him in surrender. The only way he would be able to think was if he calmed her down enough to listen.

"Alright. I'm sorry." He saw her raise an eyebrow, her face still twisted in a frown.

"I don't want you to be sorry, Shikamaru. I want you to answer my questions." Her tone was calmer than he'd expected, but she was just as tired of arguing with him as he was of trying to avoid facing the issue.

He gestured for her to come back to the couch, and it took her a few more seconds of hesitation before she finally moved. When she sat back in her original seat, he sat in front of her on the table and rested his hands on his knees. There was no easy way to start the discussion they were about to have, and he'd avoided the issue long enough. He just had to tell her the truth.

"The man we are escorting…" He paused, his muscles tensing. "…is known for doing terrible things to women, Ino. In fact, he's notorious for it."

She stared at him silently, digesting his words. It made sense, the way he'd been acting all day. It also explained the entire conversation she walked in on in the hokage's office, and Shikamaru's final words to Lady Tsunade before he stormed out.

She put her finger to her chin, deep in thought as she glanced across the table at the folder that she had slammed down a few minutes before. It was still open to Hiroto's profile, and she took another look at the scuffed up face and beady eyes of the man she was to be escorting and grimaced. As she studied the photo, she wondered what else this man was capable of. If he was able to hurt women, what else could he potentially be hiding? And what reason did he have to hire two ninja to escort him such a short distance away in the first place?

She doubted any of that was in the mission brief, but obviously there was something more if they also had to report information to ANBU. But, there was one important question on her mind: was the objective solely just to escort and gather intel? Or was she required to do more?

She looked back at Shikamaru, preparing her onslaught of questions. He'd leaned back a bit, his elbows supporting his weight, and his fingers tapping in no particular rhythm against the table top. He had his eyes closed and a look of concentration on his face. She knew immediately what he was doing, and his eyes opened slowly at her whispered, "Stop".

He frowned in her direction, frustrated that she distracted him from the new strategy he was creating in his head. Deciding not to dwell on it, he ignored her glare and refocused her attention on the matter at hand.

"Ino." He rose from the table and knelt on one knee in front of her. "Just listen to me, and don't go on this mission. This conversation has gone on too long already, and if I'm to rewrite the strategy and choose a replacement, it's got to be done now. I've told you my reasons why this is a bad idea. I don't have the luxury of pacifying you any longer."

"Pacifying me." She whispered, chuckling quietly to herself in disbelief. "Well, I wouldn't want you to go out of your way or anything." She replied scathingly, sarcasm lacing her words.

"If all you've been doing this whole time is 'pacifying' me, then maybe this mission isn't as dangerous for me as I thought."

She was startled when he suddenly stood, slamming his palm against the table as he did so.

"Damn it, Ino. Why are you doing this? What exactly are you trying to prove?" He asked angrily, his voice reaching a tone he was not used to using on her. "I've told you why you don't need to be there, so why are you being stubborn?"

"I'm doing this because I can handle this mission! And I don't know why you think I can't!"

"Is that what you think? That I'm doing all of this because I don't think you're capable of an escort mission?" He retorted, frustration lacing his words as he forced himself to lower his voice.

He was so angry with her. After everything he'd said, he thought she understood what his true motives were. How she could ever accuse him of not being confident in her abilities was an insult, not only to him, but to their relationship as team members.

He took a few seconds to calm down before eventually asking, "Why would I be this concerned if the mission was that simple?"

She stood, folding her arms across her chest as they faced off. His earlier comment struck a nerve, because there were occasions where she really did believe he thought she was incapable of completing specific tasks in missions. She was always on the sidelines, sometimes when she knew very well she would be of help on the front lines. And even though she knew he had good reasons, she couldn't help but wonder if he sometimes saw her as a burden.

"I think you're trying to keep me away because you automatically think I won't be able to do the job I was assigned. So yes, I do think you're doing this because you don't think I'm capable."

"And you couldn't be farther from the truth."

"Then tell me what you really mean." She circled him, trying to force him back toward the couch. She gasped when he gently took hold of her shoulders and walked her backwards until she was against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

"If you would ever give me a chance to say more than one sentence, I would have been able to explain everything to you by now." He moved his hands from her shoulders to rest on either side of her against the wall.

"I've been asking you about this all day. Don't you dare make this my fault, Shikamaru!"

"I'm not making anything your fault. I am trying to get you to hear me." His tone was stern, but quiet. He'd already raised his voice once to her, and it was something that he did not want to do again. She didn't deserve it. This was a tough conversation for him to have, and he was trying his best not to go into the details she wanted him to.

She didn't reply, but instead grabbed the front of his chunnin vest and pushed off the wall enough so she was slightly pressed against him. She raised her hand to his face then, her thumb gently stroking his cheek as she looked into his eyes.

"Then talk to me, Shika." She whispered gently. "What aren't you telling me? What else do I have to do on this mission?"

He closed his eyes, letting her touch calm him. This was it; this was exactly what he had been dreading. He had to tell her everything. There was no running from this any longer. She finally broke him down.

He reached up and grabbed the hand she held to his cheek, keeping it in place as he leaned his forehead against hers. Ino's eyes closed briefly as she inhaled his scent before fluttering open again. This type of affection was not common for him during an argument, and the level of intimacy he was displaying almost made her think twice about the interrogation she'd been putting him through. She swallowed harshly and looked him over, noticing for the first time how unhinged Shikamaru was at the moment.

"There was other information in the mission folder that you didn't see." He began as he raised his head from hers. "It was Hiroto's criminal history, detailing every crime he's known to have committed or had a hand in.

"I went to see Lady Tsunade because I noticed that there was no official seal under any of the case files indicating that he'd been punished or captured for any of the crimes on the list. Turns out, it was no mistake. Whatever he's doing, or whomever he's working for is keeping his record clean, regardless of how much proof or how many witnesses the village authorities have."

Ino listened intently to his explanation.

"That's why I took the papers away when Lady Tsunade handed them to you. It was the same information that I took out of the folder last night when I was reading over it. I didn't want you to see it."

_So, that was why he did that_, she thought, turning away from him slightly in an attempt to hide the shame she felt. She had been giving him such a hard time, having no idea that his motives had nothing to do with her abilities. He was frightened, and she was too caught up in trying to figure him out that she didn't see the signs.

She felt his fingers under her chin and did not resist when he guided her face back to look at him. Meeting his eyes again, she saw no sign of anger or judgment, no matter how much she believed she deserved it. What she saw was that same fear he'd had before, as well as understanding.

"Why didn't you want me to see the case files?"

"I…" He hesitated, his eyes clouding over as if remembering something horrible. "They just weren't something you needed to see." He left it at that, refusing to go into any more details with her. The things he read in those files were so terrible that he didn't think he could put them into words. The files not only contained crime scene information, but also photos of the victims that suffered at Hiroto's hands. Shikamaru didn't think he would ever get the images of those women out of his head.

Looking at Ino, he shuddered at her even being in the same vicinity as that monster. Yes, she was the best chance ANBU had of getting information from him, but if it meant allowing him the opportunity to defile her, was it worth it? If the decision was left up to Shikamaru, the answer would be no.

He dropped his hand to rest at her side, a look of determination on his face as he forced the images out of his head.

"Having you escort him is ideal in terms of gathering the intel, but when it comes to women, he is violent." Shikamaru's eyes were hard; a hardness that Ino had never seen before.

"The things he's done to the women he's come in contact with make me sick to my stomach. And, since our secondary objective is to get as much information about his illegal activities as possible, there is a chance that you will have to do things in order to gain his trust and obtain that information."

"What…what kind of things?" She stumbled on her words, swallowing thickly. She suspected that there was a chance that she would have to flirt with the man; maybe even kiss him. Doing more was not something she was prepared for.

"According to Anbu, whatever you need to in order to get the intel." He replied with a grimace, the words leaving a vile taste in his mouth.

Ino felt a shiver run up her spine at the mere implication of what could go wrong if her jutsus failed. If her cover was blown, what would happen to her? What if she accidently missed and her mind was separated from her body for several minutes? What if she was left alone with Hiroto? What if he…?

No, she couldn't think like that. Shikamaru would be with her, and he would never let anything happen to her. He was the only person she trusted with protecting her, whether she was away from her body or not.

Putting on a brave face, she raised determined eyes to meet his.

"Well, it probably won't even have to come to that." She said with a small laugh, moving away and standing straight. "I mean, all I have to do is use my mind transfer technique. I'll have all of the information I need, and I can do it quickly. Isn't that why I was chosen for this anyway?"

The more she thought about it, the more relieved she became. Despite his concerns, she had abilities that Hiroto did not know about or expect. One look at him, and she'd have everything she needed before they even got a mile away from the village gates. If she was lucky enough, she could even turn around and walk back home while Shikamaru did the rest.

Shikamaru shook his head at her and turned away, focusing his attention out the window. The sun's position indicated that it had been about 2 hours since they'd left hokage tower. That left him with only three hours left until he was to meet Hiroto at the entrance. Only three hours to revamp the strategy and find a suitable replacement willing to take this on. He was running out of time.

"It could be that easy." He agreed, turning back to face her, though still keeping the distance between them. "Or it could be that he might catch you in the middle of your technique and our cover is blown. Or it could be that he knows everything about us, and doesn't give you a chance to even use your jutsus."

"We can't think like that, Shika."

"And then the worst case." He paused. "The worst case would be if he got a hold of you. The things he would try to do to you…_that_ would be the absolute worst thing."

He moved forward and took the folder in his hands, staring hard at Hiroto's profile. He felt the overwhelming disgust well inside him as the man grinned in the photograph, looking to all the world as an everyday man and not the monster he knew him to be. He admitted that even he had a hard time believing in the things Lady Tsunade and the case files had told him, especially seeing the small physique of the man. However, Shikamaru was no stranger to the fact that evil came in all shapes and sizes.

He could tell by Ino's reaction to everything that it hadn't yet sunk in, the severity of Hiroto's reputation. The optimism she was displaying was more for his benefit than hers, because she knew what the mere thought of her being hurt, of being sexually hurt, was doing to him.

"I'm not willing to let that happen, Ino." He covered the picture with another file, not being able to stand looking at that face any longer.

"Would you protect me?" She asked suddenly, taking a tentative step closer to him.

"Don't be stupid; of course I would. That's what I'm trying to do right now." Was his frustrated reply.

Ino shook her head. "I mean on the mission. Would you protect me on the mission?"

"Ino—"

"Answer me."

"Yes."

There was no hesitation, and though it held a hint of frustration, there was an almost desperation in his tone. There was no doubt in her mind that that simple answer held more depth than anything he could have ever said.

"I trust you, Shika. That's why I'm not afraid to go on this mission. You've always kept me safe, and I know this time will be no different, no matter what this guy is capable of."

He was silent, and after a few moments, he finally resigned himself. She was going, and she was going with the faith that he wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She came up behind him, pressing herself against his back, her fingers tracing up and down his arms.

"He can't hurt me. Not when you're there." She told him, and there wasn't any part of her that did not believe those words.

"Who's to say I'll be able to—"

"I do." She replied, cutting off his doubt mid sentence.

"Ino."

"Listen," She wrapped her arms around his middle and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know I can be headstrong, and there are times where that isn't a good quality to have. I'm mature enough to know that this is one of those times. I also know that I sometimes fight you on little things."

She paused and kissed his shoulder, the fabric from his shirt blocking the kiss from reaching his skin. She wrapped her arms around him just a little tighter, and smiled softly to herself as she listened to his steady breathing.

"I may not know the full extent of his crimes, but I do know that he is a dangerous man, and anything I can do to help stop him, I will. And I promise that I won't fight you on anything, and that I'll be cautious. I'll make sure I don't give you a reason to worry about me."

"…Okay." Came his quiet reply, and it was just as much a promise to her as the one she just made him. It was a promise to trust her, and it was a promise that they would complete this mission without incident.

Placing his hands on top of hers on his chest, he gently played with the ring on her finger as he replayed the past hour in his head. Leave it to Ino to change his mind about something when the sole objective was to change _hers_. A small smile graced his lips at the irony of it.

He turned in her arms slowly and placed a soft kiss on her unsuspecting lips, his own silent apology for his part in the argument. He turned away and began walking toward their room, watching through his peripheral as she raised a hand to her lips before moving out of sight back to the couch, picking up the folder once again.

There was a lot more to do before they had to depart, and though their discussion did not end the way he'd planned, he felt less anxious than he had before. She knew all of the dangers now, and yet none of it seemed to matter as long as he was there with her. She trusted him, far more than he trusted himself, to keep her safe.

If she was confident to take this mission on, then he would be there next to her, watching her back just as he always had.

~End~

_Author's Note:_ This story is finally finished. I am so sorry for the long delay between updates. It was a mixture of having far too many ideas and a case of writer's block. After going through about 5 versions of this chapter, I finally finished with the ending that I wanted. Anyway, thanks for reading.


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